Wednesday, December 26, 2018

Major League Soccer has a stranglehold on professional soccer in the United States. With Don Garber stating recently that he thinks MLS should be a selling league all the sudden, here's a quick look at MLS players 21 years old and younger that made an impact in the league in 2018.

Rating

Age

Player Name

Team

Country

Helltown

WhoScored

EA FIFA

Median

MLS Wage

Transfermarkt Value (in millions)

18

Alphonso Davies

Vancouver

Ghana

6.30

7.54

7.90

7.54

$72,500

€10.00

20

Diego Rossi

Los Angeles FC

Uruguay

7.85

7.17

7.20

7.20

$1,052,000

€4.50

19

Tyler Adams

New York

United States

7.00

7.01

7.20

7.01

$146,042

€4.50

20

Reggie Cannon

FC Dallas

United States

7.30

6.98

6.40

6.98

$67,500

€0.80

20

Auston Trusty

Philadelphia

United States

6.90

6.81

6.60

6.81

$109,100

€0.80

21

Justen Glad

Real Salt Lake

United States

6.42

6.81

6.90

6.81

$291,700

€0.80

20

Milton Valenzuela

Columbus

Argentina

6.21

6.78

7.10

6.78

$313,300

€1.00

19

Ezequiel Barco

Atlanta

Argentina

5.63

6.76

7.40

6.76

$1,425,000

€8.00

21

Jesús Medina

New York City FC

Paraguay

5.97

6.74

6.90

6.74

$770,833

€0.85

21

Brooks Lennon

Real Salt Lake

United States

6.61

6.80

6.70

6.70

$237,583

€0.70

What I did is take my ratings from the last regular season and match them up with WhoScored and Electronic Art's FIFA series to create a list of the best.

At the top is Davies, who has already set a record in regards to transfer amount out of the league to North America market hungry Bundesliga (Bayern Munich, $16.5 million).

The rest are still in MLS. Many are speed merchants with a little bit of talent. I'm pegging Diego Rossi, who played with Bob Bradley's LAFC, as the next one who might have some value overseas. Outside of that, it's slim pickings.

I do like Milton Valenzuela of the Columbus Crew. A lot depends on how the team looks this upcoming season.

Another one to keep an eye on is Ezequiel Barco, an Argentinian player for Atlanta United.

This marks the 8th MLS Player of the Year Award for Helltown. Same rating system I've been using since 2011. It's a simple system that looks at basic "box score" statistics and then weighs how well the team did during the regular season. It's not meant to split hairs, it's purpose since day one has been to give me a general idea of who is playing well.

Thursday, November 29, 2018

Gregg Berhalter is the right person for the job of United States Senior Men's Soccer Team Head Coach.Berhalter has the proven ability to take average players and get them to play a style of soccer, possession oriented, which translates over time to consistent positive results. Point all you want to the lack of trophies as Columbus Crew coach; but remember, the Columbus Crew, with average to below average payroll, produced some of the most entertaining soccer in MLS over the last five years. They routinely punched above their perceived level. New strikers every year or two, revolving central defender pairings and a hot and cold midfield was turned into a team which, at times, could step onto the field of play and not only outplay teams with significantly better rosters top to bottom, but look classy and comfortable in the process.Gregg Berhalter, I trust, has worked out a deal where he must have some control of youth team player choices and development strategy. Two years from now, there will be no average players on the National Team. He will find, with the help of coaches like Tab Ramos and others, the most technically gifted and tactically intelligent players residing in the United States, regardless of league affiliation, family heritage or color of skin. And, Gregg Berhalter will not abandon the long term expected value of requiring his players to embrace and become deadly efficient within his chosen style of play.All that said, the US Men's National Team may not qualify for the 2022 World Cup. I will shed no tears if that happens. Qatar is an abomination. 2026 is certainly the target. Victory is assuredly the goal.The pool of players between the ages of 12 and 22 in the states is talented, driven, deep and wide. Given enough control, time and the right support, Gregg Berhalter will put the US Men's National Team in position to win the 2026 World Cup.Stick to your guns, Mr. Berhalter. Demand that your players and teams seek to dominate every technical, tactical and creative aspect of every training session and every game in which they participate. You have never relented to a player's immaturity, selfishness or fundamental weakness, don't start now. I have watched you, your players and teams, each and every one has bought-in and appreciated the fact that you expect nothing but the best from them. Never stop and best of luck.PS--I hope Josh Wolff's car was in the spot I said it was at the restaurant on Main Street. ; ) Valet is on me if you come back.

Monday, November 12, 2018

After a couple hard-fought games, The Columbus Crew were knocked out of the MLS Cup competition last night by Supporters' Shield winners NY Red Bulls.

Columbus was about as Columbus could be this year as they floated around a zero goal difference and went on long stretches of bad play. In the end, finishing 10th on the overall table. There's a little more to it, obviously, so let's take a closer look.

----------------

All the hallmarks of a Gregg Berhalter lead team were here this season. The team held possession in most games, led MLS in crosses and were 3rd in short passing per game. This formula has worked, for the most part, for the Crew since Berhalter took over, albeit a little watered down this year.

The top issue for the Crew this year was always going to be scoring. Before the season started it was obvious what the outlook was for the team. I don't write about the team much anymore but I did manage a few words back in February:

"So much depends on Gyasi Zardes goals and how invested Higuain is. This season will be long and meandering with the World Cup, this team will be looking for a breakout performer."
That's pretty much how it worked out. Zardes. After Kei and Ola Kamara, he was ver 3.0 of a Berhalter number nine. In the goals department, he delivered. But that was about all he has in common with ver 1 and 2. He didn't hold up or work it back out wide when there wasn't anything for him and was ineffective in helping anyone else in the attack.

With zero assists on the season, we can point to him for the decreased production from the wings like Pedro Santos and the return of Justin Meram.

QUICK COMPARE OF BERHALTER'S NINES

- In 2015, Kei Kamara added 6 assists to his 26 goals, + a key pass per game to go along with 64% passing on 748 passes.

- In 2018, Zardes had no assists, 20 goals, 0.9 key passes per game and 72% passing an 474 passes (25, 40% less than the Kamara's, respectively).

Outside of that, Zardes' goal tally on the road was unacceptable. Just 2 of his 20 coming away from Columbus. This lead to an anemic attack. 43 overall goals for the team this year was tied for 2nd worst in MLS. The team's 11 goals from 17 away from home was dead last, only Colorado with 12 comes close. The next nearest team was four goals up the ladder.

The goal here is certainly not to pick on Zardes and his season. Pedro Santos, despite being one of the better players with the ball in the middle third of the pitch, was ineffective in attack and Mike Grella was injured / out of the lineup to make up for the loss of Justin Meram and the speed of Ethan Finlay (going back a bit).

Santos, Grella, Niko Hansen, Meram and... I think that's it on the wings, just couldn't get anything going with Zardes up top to make this team anything better than mid-table.

Anyhow, outside of a stout defense that included Mensah, Williams, and Gaston Sauro - this is about the season for the Crew - Home effort kept the team in the mix and Away games ultimately killed it.

Here are the top 12 players when you take the rank in each of those categories:

Having the better passers in the league should mean you have a better team. Obviously, that's not always the case, but let's put it to the test real quick.

By my count, there are 527 players that have managed over 900 minutes this year. If we take to top 20% passers (which works out to be about 100 players) and match them up with their team records, we should see a relationship.

-->

Pos.

City

P

W

L

T

GD

Pts

Top Passers

1

Cincinnati

34

23

3

8

38

77

4

2

Orange County SC

34

20

8

6

30

66

6

3

Louisville City

34

19

6

9

33

66

5

4

Sacramento Republic

34

19

7

8

15

65

3

5

Phoenix Rising

34

19

9

6

25

63

1

6

Real Monarchs

34

19

12

3

8

60

9

8

Reno 1868

34

16

7

11

18

59

6

7

Pittsburgh Riverhounds

34

15

5

14

21

59

2

9

Charleston Battery

34

14

6

14

13

56

3

10

Portland Timbers 2

34

17

13

4

9

55

4

12

Saint Louis

34

14

9

11

6

53

4

11

Swope Park Rangers

34

15

11

8

-1

53

3

13

New York Red Bulls II

34

13

8

13

12

52

0

14

Bethlehem Steel

34

14

12

8

15

50

2

15

San Antonio

34

14

12

8

-3

50

1

17

Nashville SC

34

12

9

13

11

49

4

16

Indy Eleven

34

13

11

10

3

49

1

18

North Carolina FC

34

13

13

8

10

47

7

19

Ottawa Fury

34

13

15

6

-12

45

0

20

OKC Energy

34

12

15

7

-3

43

4

21

Charlotte Independence

34

10

12

12

-13

42

6

22

Tampa Bay Rowdies

34

11

15

8

0

41

5

24

Fresno FC

34

9

13

12

6

39

3

23

Colorado Springs

34

11

17

6

-3

39

2

25

Rio Grande Valley

34

8

12

14

-6

38

2

26

Penn FC

34

9

15

10

-9

37

1

27

LA Galaxy II

34

10

17

7

-7

37

1

28

Atlanta United 2

34

7

17

10

-35

31

7

29

Las Vegas Lights FC

34

8

19

7

-24

31

0

30

Seattle Sounders 2

34

6

21

7

-31

25

2

31

Richmond Kickers

34

6

24

4

-50

22

3

32

Tulsa Roughnecks

34

3

19

12

-41

21

2

33

Toronto II

34

4

24

6

-35

18

2

Great, it works out (mostly).

- Top 5 average 4 players in the top 20% of all passers in the league.
- Middle group has 3
- Bottom averages 2.

Or, to put it another way. Average points earned if you have +5 top passers is 52. If you have 2 or less? Those teams averaged 41 pts. 11 point difference. Find passers everyone.

Below will be a more straightforward look at the top passers in the USL for 2018. Total passes / Overall Completion %.

The United Soccer League isn't looked at as a pathway to a higher league. Part of that is exposure, part of that is the way soccer is structured in the United States. That said, here are some players that warrant a closer look.

1. Graham Smith, North Carolina FC. DM, 24 years old Graham is in the top 20% in all my categories. Notably 5th in passing in the opponents half of the field. At 24, he's reaching mid-career without a whole lot of professional experience, but what he's done in his first USL season is impressive.

2. Boluwatife Akinyode, Nashville, DM, 24 years old Another defensive mid and ranked first in Pass% and % complete in the opposition half. He's been bouncing around the NY Red Bulls system for years, with stops at Bethlehem and NCFC. Currently mired in mid-table nowhere's ville Nashville, he's definitely worth a closer look.

3. Justin Portillo, Real Monarchs, MF, 26 years old Justin spent quite a bit of time with the Charleston Battery and has struck gold in the USL. the Monarchs have 9 players in the top 20% according to my measurement, he tops the list.

-------------There are two Graham Smith's in the USL. The other plays off and on for Swope Park as well as MLS Sporting KC. Both are good players, but the NCFC one is better (at least in terms of the 2018 USL season).